I found Julain without much effort.
He was sitting alone in the corridor, staring out at the snow-covered courtyard. The cold light made his face look hollow, like something slowly losing its warmth. A person standing at the edge, unsure which way to fall.
When he noticed me, something flickered in his eyes. For a second, he almost said my name.
Then he caught my look.
"Hello… Aunt RIley," he corrected himself quickly.
Good.
I glanced around, checking angles, reflections, shadows. No cameras. No curious eyes. My shoes were smudged with dirt, so I crouched down, wiping them with a tissue as if that was all I cared about.
I leaned closer and whispered a few words.
Julain let out a long breath. "I understand."
He always did.
He knew I was using him. And he knew he didn't have the freedom to refuse.
